1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to diffuser structures which are attached to irrigation pipes in order to diffuse a jet or stream of water emanating from the pipe prior to the time water impinges on the ground for irrigation purposes, the purpose of such structure being to thereby obviate or reduce the erosive effect of the water stream impinging upon the earth.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the irrigation of agricultural crops by the method of utilizing a large water-distributing pipeline, a problem has existed of the erosive effect caused by the water jets or streams discharged from the pipe to the ground. Frequently, such water jets or streams are discharged from the large irrigation pipes at sufficient velocity, and over sufficiently extended periods of time, that the soil is washed away or eroded around the small plants, and damage to the crop can result as well as loss of topsoil.
In order to alleviate the described erosive effect of the water jets or streams emanating from the irrigation pipe, it has been proposed to diffuse such streams by the provision of fittings or adaptors which are connected to the pipe and cause the water discharged therefrom to pass through diffuser plates or screens of various types. These structures have worked adequately for the purpose of breaking up the water jet and reducing erosion. However, due to the various types of irrigation pipes which may be utilized, and more specifically, to the types of holes, orifices or nipples, commonly called gates, which are provided on such pipes to discharge the irrigating water therefrom, it has been necessary to provide a number of different types of diffusion devices for use with the different types of irrigation pipes. In some instances, the diffusion devices include sleeves which are intended to be pressed over a gate which is provided on the irrigation pipe, and in other instances, a conduit or receptacle is simply pressed up against the side of the irrigation pipe at a location where a hole is formed in the walls of the pipe to permit the water to be discharged therefrom. In the latter instance, there is often some leakage of water at the entrance of the diffusion device where the water, instead of passing through the diffusing plates or screens located in such device, drips down onto the ground in a sufficient volume and velocity to cause some undesirable erosion, and also less than optimum placement of this water in relation to the crops.